More Old Age Maladies

I have oft times said that this growing older is not for sissies.  I firmly believe that our golden years are called that, not because they are so golden and wonderful, but because it costs our weight in gold just to survive!  Last week I visited my family doc because of a problem I was having.  He was unsure about said problem, and said that in all his years of practice he hadn't encountered anything quite like it.  So he sent me to a specialist. That specialist, whom I was lucky enough to catch with a cancellation the very next day, checked me out and deemed that my problem was minor and prescribed a 10-day run of antibiotics.  Problem #1 is much better and healing.  Yesterday morning I woke up with a horrible tooth ache in one of my lower front teeth.  So, I called my dentist, who could see me this morning.  So took ample Tylenol yesterday to get by and this morning bright and early went to the dentist.  I found out that a tooth in front lower was infected down below the tooth into the gum line.  I asked Doc what my options were.  He said that I was out of options on that tooth as most of it was filling and there was nothing to fix, and it needed to come out.  So I had him pull it right then.  I already wear a partial plate on the top, so now without it, I will look like a jack-o-lantern.  I have to decide by next month how or if I want to fill in the gap.  One choice is an implant which is over $3000, and bridge which is slightly under $2000, or another type of bridge which may or may not last several years for just under $500.  Wow!  I certainly need to do something.  I noticed already that I "hiss" when I talk.  So, not only is the body beginning to fall apart, this surviving old aging is getting damn expensive.  (I do have some insurance coverage for the extraction but not to fill in the gap, but it only pays 80% of "reasonable and customary charges, yeah right!)

Peace (and quiet; my mouth is sore),
JE